July 15, 2016 Coats Museum NewsJanuary of 1959 offered basketball for entertainment for Coats area parents and students. In the Coats-Dunn game, Phillip Nordan and Jerry Williams gave the spectators about something to cheer. Coats defeated the Dunn team by 60-48. Phillip Nordan scored 25 and Jerry Williams hit 15 in that game (DailyRecord Jan. 4, 1959). Many will recognize those two names. Jerry died a few years ago and Phillip owns a vineyard and is a winemaker in the Concord area.Robert J. Faulkner and Oris Faulkner lost their brother Charles Faulkner of Coats whose services were held at the Hodges Chapel FWB Church. Reverends J.D. Capps and C.W. Kirby officiated. His wife was Beatrice Faulkner and his mother was Mrs. Laura Peeden. Charles, Jr. was his sole child (Daily Record Jan. 7, 1959).Mr. Henry Turlington, Sr., a purebred Duroc breeder for more than 40 years had been recently elected vice president of the National Duroc Swine Association in Illinois. He, also, was recently presented a fine Stetson hat by all the exhibitors of all breeds at the N.C. State Fair. Elsewhere in the Cary area, Mr. Paul Jackson Williams, 46, had died on Sunday. He was the brother of Mrs. L.B. Williams of Coats (DailyRecord Jan. 13, 1959).Bobby Pope, a substitute in the game between Coats and Lillington, was the hero of the Coats victory when he pummeled the basket for 13 points in the county contest (Daily Record Jan. 12, 1959).The Coats students had another reason to be proud of one of its own. Ruth Lewis was chosen to represent Coats at Campbell College Homecoming Founders Day event on the Buies Creek campus (DailyRecord Jan. 14, 1959).The Goodwill Home Demonstration Club met on Jan. 13th and had the program on “Better Home Meals for the Money” by Ruby Parker, Home Agent. Presiding at the meeting was Mrs. Rupert Parrish with Mrs. Sherrill Stephenson and Mrs. Carson Gregory as hostesses. Mrs. Hassel Lewis, Mrs. Daywood Langdon, and Mrs. B.A. Langdon were new members. The Turlington HD Club had met at the home of Mrs. Garland Johnson as hostess. Mrs. M.S. Whittington presided. Present were Mrs. Woodrow Langdon, Mrs. C.D. Turner, Mrs. T.J. Turlington, Sr., Mrs. Stewart Turlington, Mrs. Owen Odum, Mrs. Charlie Williams, and Mrs. Garland Johnson (Daily Record Jan. 15, 1959).The Coats cagers, an undefeated team, won by one point, 39-38, over the Benhaven Bulldogs. Coats’s Phillip Nordan sank 12 points. Sue Holder had 22 in the girl’s game (Daily Record Jan. 15, 1959).Basketball games were about the most exciting thing that happened in Coats unless a big snowfall came to close down the school. However, when a jet came falling out of the sky near the school, a snowfall came in a distant second. A Voodoo (RD 101) flying on a training mission crashed and burned near a farmhouse. Neither the pilot nor the family members of the Steve Holiday were injured. The pilot parachuted to safety into the trees behind the Holiday house. Immediately a helicopter picked him up. Within minutes, a pair of companion jets and helicopters circled overhead. Coats fireman W.R. Byrd and other firemen rushed to the scene but were told “Hold it boys! Don’t put water there!” There were approximately 2,000 spectators at the scene which caused traffic jams.“Mattie Lee Holiday saw it crash and the flames boil up,” said Mrs. Steve Holiday. “She thought it had hit the house and got us all out.”(Daily Record Jan. 22, 1959)Herbert Johnson and Vic Lee threw a big steak supper for 24 people at Luke’s for the Coats High boys basketball team which had not been defeated all season. The night before there had been a similar steak dinner for the girls team given by Carson Gregory, Mack Reid Hudson, Jonah C. Johnson, Carlos Dixon, and Benny Ray Stephenson. Forty-one people attended (Daily Record Jan. 22, 1959).The Coats water war was still on so said the headlines of the paper. Users of the system owned by J. Norwood Adams found their water bills doubled over the previous bills. Coats attorney B.F. McLeod said protesters probably would attend the hearing at the N.C. Utilities Commission. A few months ago, the Angier man temporarily stopped service and people who depended on the system had to carry water from neighbors who had shallow wells. The water was cut off on election night. Mr. Adams told reporters that he didn’t know if the water was to stay on or not. However, the new system was being built with water bond money and would not be completed until late summer according to lawyer McLeod. The rates were formerly $2.00 and commercial rate were formerly $2.50-$3.00 but had gone up to $7.50. Poole Bros. of Wendell and Raleigh were digging a well on a hillside just 2 blocks from the main highway inside the town of Coats (Daily Record Jan. 22, 1959).The Coats folks failed to protest at the N.C. Utilities Commission meeting. Not one single voice was heard from the Coats water users (Daily Record Jan. 28, 1959).Some pleasing news was in the paper about a young Coats man on Monday, January 26. T.J. Barnes, son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas J. Barnes and husband of Jo Ann Stephenson Barnes, had graduated from N.C. State College. He had earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Agriculture Engineering. He was a Coats High graduate. A reception was given at the home of his sister and brother-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Bill Cauldwell in Cary. A large group from the Coats area attended. Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Parrish, Mrs. Mable Barnes, Mrs. Sherrill Stephenson and Larry and Beth, Mrs. Merchant Langdon, Mrs. Milton Bryant, Mrs. Donnie Stephenson and son Jimmy, Mrs. Raeford Parrish, Mrs. Clonager Young, and Mrs. Garland Johnson (Daily Record Jan. 30, 1959).Ann Parker Stewart had 18 friends to help her celebrate her 9th birthday (Daily Record Feb. 2, 1959).Mrs. Eva Holder of Coats lost a sister, Mrs. Nora Johnson, 45, of Sanford in a blaze at her home (Daily Record Feb. 6, 1959).The state utilities commission Okayed the Coats water hike to the 172 customers. The new rate was $7.00 a month for commercial, $4.00 per month domestic service, and $2.50 per month for domestic service without bathroom facilities. The board claimed Adams was justified in charging enough to make a 6 percent profit (Daily Record Feb. 9, 1959).The Goodwill HD Club had met with Mrs. Max Barnes as hostess along with Mrs. Hearley Barnes. Mrs. Rupert Parrish presided and Mrs. Gerald Hayes, Sr. gave the financial report. “Understanding Teenagers” was the program. Mrs. Festus Denning and Mrs. Fletcher Flowers were guests and 24 members were present (Daily Record Feb. 13, 1959).Little Mack Ennis, 9, son of Mrs. Grady Ennis, darted in front of Mrs. Sarah Dupree’s car and was killed on Highway 55. The teacher tried extremely hard to miss the young boy.Mrs. Sherrill Byrd was honored with a stork shower. Hostesses to the event were Mrs. J.L. Pollard, Mrs. Spicey Pope Pollard, and Mrs. Fletcher Flowers. Forty-two guests attended and an additional 22 sent gifts (Daily Record Feb. 17, 1959). Does anyone know where this shower was held? Seems like a very large number for a house party. Does anyone know whom the stork brought?This I do know. “Understanding Teenagers” was also the program at the Oakdale HD Club meeting when they met with Mrs. R.E. Allen and Mrs. Edgar Norris, Jr. Fifteen members attended and eight guests and one new member, Mrs. Fletcher Flowers. Mrs. Preston Ennis of Raleigh, a former member, also attended. Mrs. Nelson Ennis played the piano and Mrs. Garland Coats brought books from the Harnett County Bookmobile for club members to read. Mrs. David Ennis gave a 4-H report and Mrs. Carl Whittington gave a Home Dairy report (Daily Record Feb. 23, 1959).The volunteers enjoyed a group visit from the Lebanon Baptist Church in Eastover. We always enjoy a visit from Judy Denning Wood and after running into the Lebanon Baptist group at Ma’s group, Judy came down to the museum and went on the tour with the group last Tuesday. She shared how much she enjoyed the Coats Museum News and said that she calls people to tell them when they were mentioned in the column. Please be mindful that the columns from years past can be read on the coatsmuseum.com website.Much planning and work went into the event to honor Juanita Hudson on her special recognition held at the Coats Elementary School last Sunday. Juanita is a special lady who has touched the lives of so many people through her involvement in local, state and national organizations. It was amazing to see current members of these organizations come together to make this “big thank you” to Juanita possible.